§1492. Energy resources of Caribbean and Pacific insular areas
(a) Congressional findings
The Congress finds that-
(1) the Caribbean and Pacific insular areas of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau are virtually completely dependent on imported sources of energy;
(2) the dependence of such areas on imported sources of energy coupled with the increasing cost and the uncertain availability and supply of such sources of energy will continue to frustrate the political, social, and economic development of such areas by placing increasingly severe fiscal burdens on the local governments of these areas;
(3) these insular areas are endowed with a variety of renewable sources of energy which, if developed, would alleviate their dependence on imported sources of energy, relieve the fiscal burden on local governments imposed by the costs of imported fuel, and strengthen the base for political, social, and economic development;
(4) appropriate technologies are presently available to develop the renewable energy resources of these insular areas but that comprehensive energy plans have not been adequately developed to meet the energy demands of these areas from renewable energy resources.
(b) Congressional declaration of policy
The Congress declares that it is the policy of the Federal Government to-
(1) develop the renewable energy resources of the Caribbean and Pacific insular areas of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau; and
(2) to assist other insular areas in the Caribbean and Pacific Basin in the development of their renewable energy resources.
(c) Comprehensive energy plan
The Secretary of Energy or any administrative official who may succeed him shall prepare a comprehensive energy plan with emphasis on indigenous renewable sources of energy for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau. The plan shall be prepared with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior and in cooperation with the chief executive officer of each insular area by-
(1) surveying existing sources and uses of energy;
(2) estimating future energy needs to the year 2020, giving due consideration to a range of economic development possibilities;
(3) assessing, in depth, the availability and potential for development of indigenous energy sources, including solar, wind, hydropower, ocean current and tidal, biogas, biofuel, geothermal and ocean thermal energy conversion;
(4) assessing the mix of energy sources (including fossil fuels) and identifying those technologies that are needed to meet the projected demands for energy; and
(5) drafting long-term energy plans for such insular areas with the objective of minimizing their reliance on energy imports and making maximum use of their indigenous energy resources.
(d) Demonstration of cost effective renewable energy technologies
The Secretary of Energy or any administrative official who may succeed him, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, as part of the comprehensive energy planning may demonstrate those indigenous renewable energy technologies which are determined to be most cost effective through the use of existing programs and may implement any projects or programs contained in recommendations of the plan.
(e) Submission of comprehensive energy plan to Congress
Within two years from December 24, 1980, the Secretary of Energy or any administrative official who may succeed him shall submit the comprehensive energy plan for each insular area to the Congress.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
(g) Financial assistance
(1) The Secretary of Energy may grant financial assistance, not to exceed $2,000,000 annually, to insular area governments or private sector persons working in cooperation with insular area governments to carry out projects to evaluate the feasibility of, develop options for, and encourage the adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures which reduce the dependency of the insular areas on imported fuels, improve the quality of the environment, and promote development in the insular areas.
(2) Any applicant for financial assistance under this subsection must evidence coordination and cooperation with, and support from, the affected local energy institutions.
(3) In determining the amount of financial assistance to be provided for a proposed project, the Secretary shall consider-
(A) whether the measure will reduce the relative dependence of the insular area on imported fuels;
(B) the ease and costs of operation and maintenance of any facilities contemplated as a part of the project;
(C) whether the project will rely on the use of conservation measures or indigenous, renewable energy resources that were identified in the 1982 Territorial Energy Assessment or that are identified by the Secretary as consistent with the purposes of this subsection;
(D) whether the measure will contribute significantly to development and the quality of the environment in the insular area; and
(E) any other factors which the Secretary may determine to be relevant to a particular project.
(4) Notwithstanding the requirements of section 1469a(d) of this title, the Secretary shall require at least 20 percent of the costs of any project under this subsection to be provided from non-Federal sources. Such cost sharing may be in the form of in-kind services, donated equipment, or any combination thereof.
(5) For the purposes of this subsection-
(A) the term "insular area" means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Virgin Islands; and
(B) the term "1982 Territorial Energy Assessment" means the comprehensive energy plan prepared by the Secretary of Energy pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.
(
Amendments
1992-Subsec. (g).
1983-Subsec. (d).